Is your home a wildfire risk?
Late spring and early summer kick-off wildfire season, but any time of year can produce a wildfire if the conditions are right, putting more than 1.2 million homes at risk in 2023 in California alone. Your home may be a wildfire risk if it's in a wildfire zone, but remember that wildfires are unexpected and can burn just about anywhere. Fortifying your home with wildfire protection measures ahead of time can help minimize damage from wildfires.
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How do I determine fire risk in my area?
You can determine your wildfire risk by using websites like FirstStreet.org. This model, created by First Street Foundation National Weather, makes a region's wildfire risk assessment based on vegetation, topography, and fire-related weather near and around the region.
This statistical model also forecasts how risk may change over time, which can help homeowners determine that even if their home isn't at risk now, it could be in the future.
Pro tip:
According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, more than 7.5 million acres of U.S. land were consumed by fire in 2022 alone.
What is my wildfire risk score?
FEMA's National Wildfire Risk Index is a score, rating, and overall wildfire risk map that represents "a community's relative risk for Wildfires when compared to the rest of the United States."
Some insurance companies create their own wildfire risk score by looking at similar models to determine the overall disaster risk. Generally, the higher the wildfire risk, the higher a homeowners insurance premium may be.
However, some insurance companies may determine that a home's wildfire risk is too great and will simply refuse coverage. This practice is common in states such as California, Colorado, and Texas, which the Insurance Information Institute ranks as the top three states for homes at risk for extreme wildfires.
If you have questions about your coverage, contact your insurer or agent. Learn more about if homeowners insurance covers wildfires.
Pro tip:
Just because a region's wildfire risk is low doesn't mean wildfires can't impact it. For example, the Canadian wildfires in 2023 affected the air quality in much the United States for months on end.
How do I protect my home from wildfires?
Some states, like Oregon, have wildfire mitigation procedures in place that can help homeowners lower their wildfire risk and possibly lower their homeowners insurance premium.
Check out FEMA's "Avoiding Wildfire Damage: A Checklist for Homeowners" for wildfire mitigation tips.
Insurance can help protect against wildfire risk
The National Park Service estimates that humans start 85% of all wildfires in the United States. While we may not be able to prevent all of wildfires, we can work to prevent the impact wildfires have on our homes and our livelihoods.
New Progressive customers
Quote homeowners insurance, renters insurance or condo insurance online, or call 1-866-749-7436 to get customized coverage based on your wildfire risk score.
Current Progressive customers
Log in to your policy or call 1-866-749-7436 to ask about or report any steps you've taken to mitigate your home's wildfire risk.
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